Chukwuma: Spreading the gospel of peace with brush, colours

With brushes and colours, Gerald Chukwuma said he has a message for the world. But it is difficult to get the import of that message until one set eyes on his art works. A 43-year old Nigerian artist, Gerald Chukwuma, welcomed the media to a tour of his art exhibition titled the “People’s Paradise” sponsored […]

With brushes and colours, Gerald Chukwuma said he has a message for the world. But it is difficult to get the import of that message until one set eyes on his art works.

A 43-year old Nigerian artist, Gerald Chukwuma, welcomed the media to a tour of his art exhibition titled the “People’s Paradise” sponsored by UBS, a global Swiss bank and VeuveClicquot. The exhibition which opens to the public on Monday March 21 is expected to run through April 30, 2016 at Temple Muse, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Chukwuma said it is an exhibition that showcases a diverse selection of art forms not often seen. “In all, there are 43 artworks we are rolling out for public consumption with each having distinctive messages of peace embedded in it,” he said.
In the list, Chukwuma noted, are renowned wooden slats, as well as new water colour paintings, sculptures and powerful installations. He said based on a theme of conflict resolution, “People’s Paradise” is a visual narrative of the various constructs that result in social and economical upheaval, and how the human factor is the key to any progress.
On his chosen theme, the artist said: “It is people who can make paradise. I am generally a happy person. That is how God made me. I believe that paradise is what people make it.  All our troubles, wars, kidnappings – people choose to do that and people can also choose to do good.
“I hope to see people’s paradise because I believe that everything bad that has happened to humanity and to Africa is man-made. We are turning our paradise into something else. A miracle will not happen. Life should be a paradise but it is people who make it happen,” he said.
Asked why he thinks the theme is significant, Chukwuma said he understands that every good resource in Africa has caused a problem. “We found oil or gold or land and people carry guns and fight over it,” he said. He added that the work titled “Black gold” is made up of small gold figures. “They are all intrinsically good. If we were to divide the oil income amongst Nigerians there would be no poverty. Every individual is a gold mine. But the figures are pushing and shoving each other.”
Chukwuma said his artistic journey began with nothing but a yearning for formal education in the arts. This was followed by his graduation in 2003 with First Class degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) where his adventurous spirit pushed him past the boundaries of society’s lack of confidence in artistic practice.
Chukwuma said he has taken part in 20 exhibitions in the last decade in Nigeria, Cameroon, France, Denmark, Holland and the United States where his works have been auctioned.
The exhibition curator, Sandra Mbanefo Obiago said numerous works such as “Me” and “Not Alone” show the height of Chukwuma’s mastery of his sculpting and expert application of colours on burned, chiseled, hewed and metal clad wooden slats. 
Sandra added: “Chukwuma’s creativity is not only technically impressive, it is also rich in message and medium.” 
On his part, the Director of Temple Muse, Kabir Wadhwani, said the organization is delighted to host the artist as the first art exhibitor of the year and to be able to continue to provide a platform for cutting edge Nigerian creativity.